Freak No Longer
by Speedstreek360
Summary: Red Alert is freed from a life of torturous servitude. But he has a lot to learn about the outside world, and his rescuer is only too happy to assist. Will they find love on the way? I adopted this fic from Darkeyes. Rated M for much later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Another fic I've adopted for Darkeyes. I found this one appealing and I wish to continue it for her, because she is one of the most amazing writers I have ever had the pleasure of reading from.

Oh and to understand the story better, I suggest you read her one-shot "Freak", before reading this, her sequel.

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Period.

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**Freak No Longer – Prologue**

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The wind thrashed against the crags of Kalis as the storm passed over the city state. Electricity crackled from the acid clouds down to the metal surface of Cybertron. It was a terrible night for any mech to be out. Even worse to be a sparkling.

A little sparkling wailed as he hid inside the little box he had been placed in.

He had no memory of anything but this box. All he knew was that he was alone, and that his helm hurt. It hurt really bad, and that right now, he was scared.

So young was he that he didn't know his creators had abandoned him because they were simply too poor to care for him. He would not know that they regretted it. He couldn't even remember who they were. He felt no bond with them, and before he was another few orns old, any developing bonds he had with them would fade forever.

But the sparkling didn't know that. All he knew was that he didn't like this place. It was too loud, too noisy, too scary.

The storm continued to rage as he cried, little energon tears slipping down his face.

He was hungry too. He couldn't forget being hungry.

He should have died that night.

But Primus had decided to spare this sparkling's life, and did not leave him to a slow, painful deactivation by starvation.

A convoy of mechs and femmes trekked under specialised, expensive cloaks to protect them from the storm. They trudged through the darkness away from Kalis, towards whatever town they came across next.

"Move! We must get to Polyhex within the next three orns!" a rough voice cried.

One of his underlings grumbled at something, and the first mech smacked him, sending him tumbling down the slight slope, coming to rest just before the metal box. He heard the wailing, and ignoring his state, he peered inside. In his astonishment, he called out, "Ringleader! There's a sparkling here!"

The mech called Ringleader went down, his black and red plating dulled by the darkness of the night.

He reached the box, and he too peered in, seeing the pitiful creature. It was a little red and white sparkling with helm horns which were sparking.

That was odd.

An idea formed in his mind.

Maybe that could be something he could use to draw a crowd. His circus was getting less popular with each tour. Perhaps something as startling as a sparkling that continued to spark would earn him some more revenue…

"Pick him up. He may be useful in the future," Ringleader barked.

The second mech, the one he had hit, picked up the box. They walked back to the convoy in silence, Ringleader's mind filled with the credits he could rake in from his newest performer.

As for the sparkling, one moment he knew nothing but the elements beating down harshly on him, and then small, gentle hands taking him out of the box and a soft feminine voice cooing to him. "Hush, little one. You're safe now."

"Moonracer! You can play with him later!" the circus leader called out grumpily from the front of the line.

The sparkling took no notice. His helm horns still sparked, and he didn't like the lightning, but there was something warm holding him, and it felt much better than he did before.

Little did the sparkling know that in the next few vorns hardship would come to him in the form of being the performing 'freak' of the circus who had adopted him. They all called him Freak, except for the sweet Moonracer, who played with him, named him Red Alert. His youngling years would age him. He knew almost nothing of the outside world, only of the arena, and his glitch causing circus patrons to 'ooh' and 'ahh' over his reactions. It was a painful, unrewarding existence.

Ringleader had told him about how he had been abandoned, and sometimes Red Alert wondered why Primus had let him live that night only to be used and made to feel pain.

He finally found his answer when a brave firetruck had decided to rescue him from a life of servitude and torture.

And that is where our story begins…

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Review please.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Period.

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**Freak No Longer: Chapter 2 – A Meeting with the medic**

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It was a dream.

Red Alert kept his optics shut and his frame rigid as he booted up, and the dream was remembered vividly in front of his optics.

He was 'performing', when a handsome red mech had parted the crowd and told Ringleader he wanted to buy him. Paid 10 000 credits to purchase him, and all he had remembered in the dream at this point was pain, before he woke up to see the red mech, telling him he was free.

Inferno.

His imagination had given him the perfect saviour. Strong, kind, with the most wonderful smile. And his saviour had said that the way he lived wasn't how all Cybertronians lived!

It had been a wonderful dream while it had lasted. He hoped he could have it again.

Reluctant to open his optics – he had so enjoyed the reality of the dream flux – Red Alert stretched.

It was only then that his sensors registered he was lying on the same soft material he had been on in his 'dream.'

Bolting up, awake, Red's mouth gaped open.

_It wasn't a dream!_

Now that he was alone, he took stock of his surroundings. The space he was in (a room?) was made up of three walls and a window. The window showed many gleaming buildings and flying mechs and femmes soaring through the air. The walls were a cream colour, and there was minimal decoration. A simple picture adorned the wall. Looking closer in curiosity, all the red mech could see was some purple and blue crystals, with splashes of green. There was the surface he was lying on. Moonracer had never taught him what bots slept on, because he had his cage and his mat for as long as he could remember. There was also a set of drawers. Different to the ones that had been in the circus which held props. They were some sort of black stone, carved with a spiralling pattern on the top.

Crawling out of the soft surface in curiosity, Red Alert moved forward and laid his hands on it.

For some reason, he felt a tingle in his digits.

This was real. Substantial.

He was free.

And at the same time, he was not.

It dawned on him that even though he could possibly walk out that door and Inferno would let him go (he hoped), where would he go? What could he do? All he had ever known was the circus. The pain of his glitch, being called a 'freak,' of being treated the wrong way. He didn't have any use to anyone. He had no idea as to what the world was really like. And what was to say that Ringleader or some other mech like him wouldn't capture him and treat him like that once more?

His sensor horns sparked at the mere _thought_ of the taunts and the pain.

"Red?"

The soft voice made him turn around. Inferno was in the doorway, smiling at him.

Nervously, Red Alert took his hands off the drawers, knowing perhaps this nice mech might not like him touching his things. Ringleader never allowed him to touch anything.

"It's okay," Inferno said, edging into the room carefully. This mech he had freed, he knew nothing about except for their first, true encounter where they were both in their sound minds. Only that he was terribly abused and had such a curious, yet cautious nature about him.

"Is it really?" asked the smaller mech.

Silence strung between them. Inferno didn't really know how to reply to that, and Red Alert had no wish to break the silence with saying something. He didn't really know what to say. He had a feeling that the social etiquette in the real Cybertronian world was different to what he had experienced. He watched his rescuer, searching for any cues.

"I'd like t' think so," replied the larger mech finally, coming closer and sitting down on the berth. "After all…ya're out of that horrible place. I see that as a victory. A small one. But I just gotta count the blessin's."

Shyly, uncertainty practically bleeding out of him, Red Alert asked, "What happens from here? I don't…I don't know-"

"Shh," soothed Inferno. "I meant it when I said I'd take care of ya. And that means ya need a visit from a medic to give ya a check up. Primus knows how good that dolt took care of ya."

Ducking his helm, Red mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"Hey." A warm hand came to rest on his shoulder to give an assuring squeeze. "Ya ain't got nothin' to be sorry for. It's not ya fault ya ended up with them."

Again, that strong sense of _trust_ came from within him, so the younger mech sat down beside the larger mech and supplied, "Abandoned. Ringleader relished in telling me of how he took me in. On a stormy night outside of Kalis. I had no creators to my name. I was left alone."

The word echoed in the space between them.

"Well, I think it's safe to say ya ain't gonna be alone anymore," Inferno said with a grin.

Nodding his head, Red looked up into the other mechs optics. They were such a warm, reassuring blue. They drew him in, and he gave his own tiny smile in reply.

A chime went off somewhere, and Inferno rose, saying over his shoulder, "It's prob'ly just Ratchet. He's my medic. He's gonna look you over."

When the larger mech left, it felt as if some of the warmth left the room. Red Alert shivered. His rescuers presence had been so calming. He was solid. And now that he had left – however briefly – he wished for him to return. A nervousness crept in. He had only seen medics a few times when he was younger, and actually only tended to twice in his entire life. The first time was to receive the right codes, anti-virus, and basic firewall protection to his processor. The second when was his glitch had truly played up, and he had to take almost three decacyles off from his act. Ringleader had not been happy. Any other time he had wounds or when he was feeling like the lowest mech in the world, Moonracer had been there to stroke his helm and hold his hands until he rested.

He had no idea what this medic would be like. Would he be as stiff and as coldsparked like the previous two experiences had taught him? Or would he treat him like a drone?

But then again, this medic was a friend of Inferno's. And if Inferno was being honest in his desire to care for him, then he would have gotten somebot who would bring no harm to him.

Shuttering his optics, he heard as footsteps echoed from somewhere outside the door. There were two sets, and the one in front was heavier than the one in the back. Inferno must have been in the front, which meant the medic would be a smaller frame type than the large red mech.

"Red Alert, we're coming in. Let us know if you feel uncomfortable," Inferno's now-familiar voice called out before stepping in, being just as cautious as before, before making way for the mech behind him. Red stiffened, prepared for the worst.

A little ebb of relief washed over him as the medic came into view. He was predominantly white with red plating here and there, red crosses on his shoulders and a grey chevron mounting his helm. He looked both a mech not to be messed with and yet the true depiction of a typical healer. There was intelligence in those optics, and an underlying concern almost marred by the grimness of his expression.

"I'm Ratchet. I'm CMO at the Iacon general, and I happen to be a friend of Inferno's. He told me about you. Red Alert, isn't it?"

The briskness would have put him off it is wasn't for the gentle tone and the careful hands as he neared Red. The smaller mech nodded, torn between trusting and shying away, hiding behind his protector. "Yes."

"I heard you were secluded from normal Cybertronian society all of your life. How well can you read or write?" asked the medic, kneeling before him and setting a grey bag down. It made a soft clinking noise as it rested on the floor.

"I have a good abilities in speech, reading, and writing, but only in Cybertronian. I wasn't taught anything in my life apart from out language we share, and where everything is in this planet. The circus leader's daughter, Moonracer, taught me." Red Alert shuttered his optics rapidly, as if not believing he had revealed so much to this stranger medic. He took hold of the bolt of courage running through him at the present time and went on, "It was only allowed by Ringleader because it was to be more humiliating for me…that I could have some normalcy within me even as I was tortured by my own glitch."

Ratchet was silent, his optics turning a shade deeper with sorrow. There was such a strength within this young mech. A resilience. Something he saw with some abuse victims, but not all.

"Well, that's why I'm here. I'm going to determine the source of your glitch and see if it's not too late to remove the coding or at least decrease the symptoms so they no longer cause you crippling pain," informed the medic, moving closer to Red. His usual bedside manner was dropped today in favour of assuring the mech before him. Inferno had been right to call him. This was a bad case.

"What must I…what must I do? Do I have to show you my glitch?"

Even as Red asked, the other two mechs flinched. They had no wish to see any intentional pain inflicted.

"No. Just open up the medical access panel, and let me do the rest. It will feel very odd. In your case, it might even feel intrusive. But I promise not to hurt you, on my medic's oath," Ratchet explained, unspooling his medical data cable from his forearm. He offered it forward, allowing the smaller red mech to get a good look at it.

Inferno came around to sit at Red Alert's side once more, and took his hand. "I'm right here if you need anything."

Inundated by the show of caring, Red felt a deep emotion bloom deep inside, something he had never felt before. Gratitude? Maybe. It seemed apt. "Thank you," he whispered.

Taking it as invitation, he helped the younger mech unlatch his medical panel (the hinges squeaked from disuse) and plug the cable in.

Red stiffened when he felt the intruder. Every baser instinct was screaming at him to get the medic out, but he kept his conscious at the forefront. He needed this. He needed this glitch to go away. And only a medic could do that. He shuttered his optics and gritted his denta as he felt something probing within his processor. It was gentle, and that helped, but Ratchet had been right. It felt invading.

Not long after, although it seemed an eternity to Red Alert, Ratchet withdrew, satisfied he had collected enough data to analyse. He still kept them connected through the medical uplink, but he was no longer intentionally searching through systems. "I'll have to go through the coding of the glitch later on. But for now, I can send your processor a synthesized package of updated anti-virus and firewall software. Not to mention the necessary processor upgrades needed for you to extend your knowledge base easier. I can send it through the link now, and you can sink back into recharge and let your processor do all the work. Sound good?"

"I think so. I don't know," admitted Red shyly.

"Of course you wouldn't have," murmured the medic pensively. Not accusing in any way. "I think it's for the best. You need more rest. And don't worry. You're in Inferno's capable hands."

Inferno was silent, watching them.

Secure.

Safe.

Red Alert nodded, gesturing for Ratchet to complete the medical upload. The data package was sent, and no sooner had he opened it when code protocols from it shut him down for recharge.

Seeing the optics dim, Inferno laid the smaller mech down on the berth as Ratchet unplugged the medical access cable and placed it back into his arm. In silence they left the room and shut the door.

Ratchet's gentle demeanour with Red Alert completely vanished then, and he hissed to Inferno, "Those slaggers! They only gave him the most rudimentary of protection! It's a miracle he's survived this long, with his glitch and all. And he's young too. Not too much younger than you, but young nevertheless. He should be out in the world trying to find a job and finding romance or a good frag, not struggling to assimilate into life as a normal Cybertronian."

"Prime's doin' something about it. He assured me."

Ratchet whirled around to the big mech and studied him. He'd never seen the fire and rescue mech like this before. Red Alert and his condition must have really sobered the mech. "Well, you did good in rescuing him. Otherwise, I think he would have deactivated under too much more of the kind of treatment you described to me. It makes my energon boil and my tank turn. It's disgusting that mechs would do that sort of thing to their own kind!"

Inferno sighed and walked into his living room, flopping into his big couch gracelessly. "Yeah, I agree. Ratch…when I look at him, I can't help but want to hold him and make sure everythin' is okay. Don't know why. And it makes me angry. He's a gentle spark, I can see it in 'im already."

The medic nodded, but suspected more than pity was happening within the bigger mech. He went on, a bit less gruffly, "It's going to be a long and hard road Inferno. You sure you know what you are getting yourself into? There are clinics that will take him."

"Without a doubt, yeah." There was no hesitation from Inferno as he spoke. "I know it'll be hard. But somethin' within me is tellin' me Red'll come good. As long as I have ya support, I should be right."

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Review please


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Period.

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**Freak No Longer – Chapter 3: Simple affection**

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Inferno sighed as he looked out at the hubbub of central Iacon. His living room was brightly lit by the day outside, yet it was cool in his apartment. His optics were unseeing as he pondered his situation.

What was he getting himself into?

He knew it was the right thing to save Red Alert. It was more than right. In his spark, he knew that on that day, he was in the right place at the right time. He saved this life, and he felt no qualms for it.

But after talking to Ratchet, the gravity of his actions finally hit him.

He was going to be responsible for the full rehabilitation of a mech that knew next to nothing about reality. Red Alert would be dependent on him. The words he had spoken were all to true. Where would Red go if Inferno decided he wasn't worth it? A colder spark than Inferno's would have dropped the young mech off to an institution of some kind. Swirling the energon in his cube thoughtfully, Inferno knew he wouldn't do it. He could not ever give up on this young, innocent mech he had found. It would be trying, no doubt, but for a while now he felt that there was more to life than working as a firefighter, receiving a good salary, and living a fairly good life alone.

Maybe looking after Red Alert would make him see to something more.

He found it fortunate that he knew Optimus Prime. He had met the great mech when he first came to power, and they had chatted together while at a firefighter fundraiser. A charity ball. One strong thing they had in common was their dislike of formal affairs when actions needed to be taken.

When he had informed Prime of what he had seen and witnessed, he was surprised that he had lent his full support.

And it was because of that support that Inferno was given indefinite leave from the fire department to look after Red Alert.

At the thought of the little mech, Inferno rose from the couch and went to the spare room, optics gentling when his gaze fell on Red.

To put it simply, Red Alert was beautiful to Inferno's optics.

Although his paint was of cheap quality and his plating showed signs of poor maintenance, Inferno saw the innocence barely hanging by a thread, and the capacity to become a handsome mech. The larger mech had no doubt that Red Alert would clean up well when the time came.

Now, he was content to watch over the slumbering red and white mech.

On his side, curled up underneath an blanket, Red was at peace, burrowed in his own warmth. It was a sensation he had quickly gotten used to after years of recharging on cold concrete floors under threadbare coverings.

As Inferno watched, Red Alert stirred, optics fluttering open slowly.

Tensing, the larger mech waited for panic, or for disbelief. It had happened the two other times his charge had woken today, and he made sure to reassure Red as much as possible that this was real, and he meant it when he said he would care for the smaller mech.

Sitting up, Red mumbled, "Inferno."

"Right here," Inferno rumbled softly, slowly moving over to Red's side and sitting on the edge of the berth.

He was graced by a small smile. "You're still here," whispered the smaller mech.

"Yep," grinned Inferno.

Silence fell between them as Red crawled out and snuggled into his protector's side.

_Safe._

He wondered if that feeling would ever abate. Every time he was near or touching Inferno, that's all he could comprehend.

Basking in the warmth, he felt more than heard the gentle giant's chuckle as he leaned towards the affection given. Once he was given these tentative touches by Inferno, he sought more. He had gone through an affection drought for too long, and so he sought it from the one who had rescued him. If he weren't feeling so protected, Red would be scolding himself for acting like a youngling. He was stronger than this.

A large hand stroked over his shoulders as a warm voice asked, "Hungry Red?"

"Mm? Oh…sure. I mean, if you _want_ to feed me."

All at once Red Alert knew he had said the wrong thing. The hand stopped moving over his shoulders and the larger frame tensed. Looking up, something within him shrank back at the sudden blank look on Inferno's face.

"How often did ya get energon?" Inferno asked, trying hard to keep his tone even.

"Usually it was after a performance. They forgot to feed me most of the time. Moonracer…she's the one who looked after me, sometimes couldn't sneak me more than a quarter of a cube once a day," replied Red softly.

Hot rage, the same rage he had felt in that night in the circus, welled up within Inferno. Gritting his denta, he fought to keep it from coming out. He was _not_ going to let it escape around Red Alert. He had been through enough.

No, he was going to request Optimus for the chance to leave just one mark on Ringleader's pathetic hide before he was sent to jail. Starving this mech! The cruelty of this circus continued to shock him. Inferno wondered what else had been done to the mech at his side. He dreaded having to ask.

Trembling brought him back to himself, and when he looked down, his rage flooded out of him.

Red was trembling, looking up at him uncertainly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to Inferno. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"Red-"

"Are you going to hit me?" the smaller mech blurted out before he could help himself.

Stunned, but expecting it, Inferno gently drew the trembling red and white form closer to him. "No. I'm not angry at ya. I'm angry at what's been done to ya. Ya've been starved and tortured through yah glitch, and not been allowed to develop as most do. I'm sorry for makin' ya scared. I'd never intentionally harm ya," he assured Red Alert, pulling him onto his lap in the same position they had took the first time Red had woken up. The slighter body was tense for a few breems before relaxing into the hold.

"Ya can't blame yaself either," Inferno mumbled, beginning to stroke over Red's shoulders once more in an attempt to give the affection his charge sought.

Nodding, Red Alert leaned into the larger mech and sighed. He could get used to this. "Yes," he said.

"Yes what?"

"Yes I'm hungry. Yes I'll try not to think like I did something that made them hate me," replied Red with a touch of audacity.

Snickering in amusement, Inferno lifted them off the berth, placed Red down and then led them to the body of his apartment to get energon.

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Review please.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Period.

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**Freak No Longer – Chapter 4: Inferno Talks**

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Red Alert's optics were glued to the living room window.

If his cube of energon had been in his hand, he would have dropped it in the shock of the sheer overload of information he was receiving through his visual sensors. And he only had one word.

_Wow!_

It was amazing! He knew the sky was blue, but the beauty of Alpha Centauri shining down on the metal world was breathtaking. The light gleamed off buildings and refracted it's way down to the streets of Iacon. Skyscrapers were made of every type of metal, many of the names he didn't know, but they shone in a pleasing array of colours. Blue glass, black glass, white, clear, and even green marked the buildings among the shining metal.

And for the first time, he realised that _this_ was Cybertron. This was where he belonged.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Inferno murmured from the couch behind him.

A deep pang of remorse and sorrow ripped through Red Alert then, as he moved towards the glass separating him from the outside and placed his hand on it. "What have I been missing my whole life? There is more than this," he wondered aloud.

"Yeah. There is. And I wanna be here to help ya Red," the larger mech stated, making the smaller turn around. Reluctantly, he made his way over to the couch and took the energon offered, sipping it slowly, savouring it. It felt so good and rich, slipping down to his tanks and fuelling him. He unknowingly moaned at the taste. He hadn't had such a good meal in a long time. Sure, he was given energon when he woke up, but he had been unable to register the taste in his apprehension. Now, he could enjoy.

Inferno chuckled at the gusto at which Red ate. To see he enjoyed his fuel warmed his spark.

"What ya saw…are seein' out that window, is only a small part of our world Red. There's heaps of things to catch up on. But we're gonna take it slow. Okay? No rushin'. We've got the rest of our lives," the fire truck said softly.

The red and white nodded, sighing in relief. "Thank you. You are truly a good mech Inferno. Even I in my limited experience can see that."

Grinning, Inferno replied, "Nice of ya. While ya're sippin' on that energon there, do ya mind if I tell ya a bit about m'self? Just to get us more comfortable with each other."

Seeing the slow nod from his companion and taking a sip from his energon, Inferno began.

"Name's Inferno, which ya know. I've lived in Iacon, the capital city of Cybertron, all my life. I had two mech creators, Blazestone and Rick-Ride. They're still alive and kickin'. They live on the outskirts of Iacon, away from the hustlin' and bustlin' of the city centre. Carrier was Rick-Ride. He's a carer at a youth centre, while Blazestone, my creator, is a fire-fighter. Like me." He paused to gauge his audience's reaction. So far, Red Alert had turned to him, facial expression open in his curiosity and attentiveness.

"They were good to me. I was their only creation though. Was a bit of a cheeky youngling, but didn't give 'em too much trouble. I decided to follow in my creator's path when I saw how much he helped other bots. And…I wanted to help 'em too."

"Noble," murmured Red.

"Eh. If ya think so. For me, it's about savin' those lives. There's also somethin' about fire. About watchin' it, about working with it and trying to brave it, that…" Inferno trailed off, wondering if he should reveal this about himself. His optics caught Red Alert's, and the pure trust that was placed on his shoulders made his mouth open to speak. "It gets me fired up a little. It's exhilaratin'. It's when ya know we're meant for a higher purpose as a race. If that makes any sense to ya."

Fiddling with his empty energon cube, the horned mech shook his helm slowly. "It makes sense. The way you described fire was…beautiful."

Beaming at the other's assessment, Inferno said, "Well, I find it beautiful. But I see the things an out of control fire does to mecha. It ain't pretty. Not at all. It's how I know Ratchet, see? Even if I get mecha out half charred, Ratchet's a miracle worker. Best medic I've ever seen. So I trusted him enough to see ya."

"I'm glad you did," replied Red, smiling a little in remembrance of how the white medic had treated him.

Sensing a hint of awkwardness in the air, the larger mech asked, "Do ya terribly mind if I keep talkin'? Or would ya like to talk about somethin'?"

"No, go ahead. I'm actually enjoying this. I'm learning," said the smaller mech, that curiosity peeking through again.

With a small chuckle, he went on. "I had fun at school growin' up as a younglin'. Had an average education. Not much to talk about m'self there. Was liked, but not popular. A bit cheeky, but not a clownbot. Average existence. To tell ya the truth Red, apart from my job, nothing all that excitin' happens to me."

"Until you met me," Red Alert broke in quietly.

Sobering, Inferno replied, "It wasn't excitin' seein' what ya went through. But I'm hoping life will be a little less monotonous from now on."

"Monotonous? Boring? Your life? You're a fire fighter! Even I know that's a worthy occupation."

"Ah, well it is. It's rewardin,' but I've never had someone live with me apart from my creators before. That's why I say I hope life is a little more fulfillin'," the larger mech pointed out mildly.

Red Alert's optics widened a fraction. Oh no. He _was_ a nuisance to this mech. He was a burden just to spice things up a bit. His intakes quickened and Inferno, realising how his words could be misinterpreted, reached out and stroked a helm horn to get the red and white's attention.

The reaction was immediate and electric.

The horns sparked, and the smaller mech yelped, flinching away.

"Slag! I'm sorry Red. I'm real sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," Inferno hastened to assure, feeling guilty, his voice low and hands out in apology.

Red Alert forced himself to calm. He felt a little dizzy from the sudden sensations and felt his sparkbeat speed up, but that was all. It was unexpected contact. And it didn't hurt. In fact, the gentle touch had felt kind of nice. "It's okay. We're both learning, aren't we?"

"Yeah. But I'm still sorry," responded the larger mech in a soft voice. "And I didn't mean to suggest that ya weren't welcome here. I want ya here. I want to help ya, get to know ya."

And when Inferno said that, Red calmed completely, feeling relaxed with the other mech.

This easy camaraderie he could get used to.

Once again, he took his protector's hand and whispered, "Thank you."

The smile in reply reassured him that he had said and done the right thing for both their worries.

Tugging on the smaller hand in his grip gently, the pair rose as Inferno guided them to the large window once more. With another squeeze, the fire truck murmured, "Want me to show ya everything we can see from here?"

Red nodded excitedly. He didn't let go of the other's hand as they spent the rest of the day in front of the large window, Inferno pointing buildings out – the museum, the Prime's residence, the energon storage plant – and Red Alert watching raptly and questioning softly, proud that he felt more in control. Proud that he was learning more than his limited knowledge base was.

As he showed the small mech next to him the sights of the city, Inferno felt the same. He was proud of Red's strength to continue too.

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Review please


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait! But here's chapter 5! I just hope I didn't butcher it up.

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Period.

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**Freak No Longer – Chapter 5: Home Alone**

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Morning light entered through the large window, as it shined off the large city of metal, and on to the crimson and white form of Red Alert, greeting him as he woke up to the sound of busy mechs and femmes in their alt. modes, or otherwise, driving throughout the city he was currently staying in, with his guardian.

The first thing he realized was that he was lying against something warm and comfortable, but it was not a berth. A felt slight uneasiness, before he heard a soft noise from above him.

Red Alert looked up and he blinked in slight surprise when he came face to face with Inferno.

And then, he remembered yesterday, that they had sat in front of the large window, looking over the metropolis outside before them, now even busier than before. Iacon—that's the city Inferno had told him they were living in—was brighter, as the moons rose higher into the sky.

They had practically stayed there the rest of the day, and into the evening, and apparently, they had gotten tired, when evening drew close and Cybertron's moons had started to rise and as Alpha Centauri set. He remembered bits and pieces, listening to Inferno's warm and kind voice, as he told him the different places and buildings, and about the important people that lived in those buildings.

The young mech remembered falling into recharge, lying against his savior, his guardian's surprisingly comfortable shoulder, remembering how secure he felt, just feeling how warm he was, when the cool breeze blew on to their forms.

And he fell into colorful dreams of the city, of this new place he was in, and he was thankful that he had been brought here. The sheer beauty of it seemed to have distracted him from his memories for the night.

There was a groan, making the armor plating beneath his helm and against his shoulder to vibrate slightly, and causing Red Alert to look up at Inferno, who slowly on-lined his blue optics. Inferno looked around, seeming to forget where he was exactly. Red tilted his helm, as Inferno shuttered his optics a moment, shaking his helm slightly and making a weird noise that sounded like a small car engine. Then, the fire truck then looked down and gave him a warm grin.

"Heya there Red. Recharge okay, last night?" Inferno asked, patting the younger mech on the back.

Red Alert nodded, "Yes…" he rubbed at his optics with his forefinger and thumb, trying to wake himself up a bit more.

He couldn't remember sleeping without a haunting nightmare—or memory—since he was taken into the circus by Ringleader. He'd wake up to the jeers and cruel laughter from his old prison there, be it in his head or in reality.

But after spending a day with Inferno, looking over the strange new world he never knew he was living in, it seemed to have driven them from his mind.

Inferno stood up, and then stretched. Both mechs had slept on the floor in a sitting position, and it didn't bode well for the larger, red mech's back struts. Red Alert slowly got up also, tilting his helm at Inferno stretching his arms over his helm, and there was a small series of cricks and cracks, followed by a small popping noise.

He couldn't help but smiled at those sounds, his antennae giving a slight zap.

When his guardian turned to him, he felt his spark flutter slightly when Inferno smiled at him. It was so sincere and warm….

"Ya hungry, Red?" Inferno asked.

The younger mech nodded, and he watched as the larger red Autobot went into another room. He waited a few minutes. They felt like hours for Red, as he waited for Inferno to return with their breakfast. Inferno returned, with two energon cubes of high-grade, and he handed one of them down to Red Alert. He watched the smaller mech drink it for a few minutes, before taking a sip of his own.

Inferno jumped slightly, when his comm. link went off. The fire truck reached up and activated his comm. link, opening it to talk with whoever was calling him.

"Inferno here…" he said.

He was answered by a serious, yet warm feminine voice, _"Inferno? Hey, it's Firestar."_

Inferno smiled. Firestar, one of his dearest friends, a fiery femme, with a passion for her work. She was his partner in rescuing victims of a fire, and getting them as quickly as possible to medical care. She was a good femme, though a little hot-tempered.

"Heya Star, what's goin' on?" Inferno said.

Though, as he waited for her answer, his eyes went back to Red Alert. The young mech was on his feet, and looking out over the city again, as morning came. He blinked, and watched how the light shined off the beautiful, bright red armor, how it gave the plating a sort of glow, that seeped throughout his whole body.

Red Alert was smiling, and it seemed to outshine the glow of his armor, as it was the only thing that seemed to really catch Inferno's optics.

Primus, it was entrancing, how much happiness seemed to come off from that young mech standing there, energon cube in hand. And it was surprising, considering how miserable he must have been, enduring all those years of a abuse.

_"'Ferno? Did you hear me?"_ Firestar's voice jolted him out of his slight stupor, _"The boss and the police need us for another rescue mission! There's a fire in down town Iacon."_

"Ah, okay, I'll try ta get there as soon as possible," Inferno said, though he was slightly puzzled, "But, aren't there others that can take care of this"

He heard Firestar sigh, _"Everyone else trained in our field is either down at the med. bay or they are on vacation. Look, I know you're busy with other things, but you're the closest fire fighter we have." _

The fire truck off-lined his optic a moment, reaching up to rub at his nasal ridge. If he left Red alone, then something might happen, but if he didn't go, he was putting innocent lives in danger, "All right, I'll be there as soon as I can."

_"All right, see ya there partner."_

The comm. link went off with a click. Inferno sighed, before rubbing his helm. He turned to Red Alert, who was gazing down at the mechs and femmes below.

"Red?" Inferno said.

Red Alert looked over, in slight surprise. Then, his smile returned.

"Yes, Inferno?" he said, tilting his helm slightly.

Inferno felt like there was something caught in his throat, and he had to try and swallow it back, trying to calm his nerves. Red Alert had such sweet face plates, and his tilted helm only made him look cuter, like a curious petro-pup.

"I, uh, have ta go somewhere right now," he said, "Are ya gonna be okay stayin' here alone for a few joors?"

Alone? Red Alert stared at Inferno, his smile disappearing, and replaced with an uncertain frown. He was leaving? Where was he going?

His antennae gave a small stream of blue electricity between his two horns. He gulped slightly, before biting his lip.

Inferno placed a hand on Red Alert's shoulder, "Sorry Red, work called and I'm needed for another rescue mission. I promise, I'll be back later."

"B-but….what if….something happens?" Red Alert whispered, "And you don't come back…?"

"Aw Red, I'll be back, I promise, but I need ta get goin', a lot of mechs and femmes are dependin' on me to do mah job," he gave the shoulder a slight squeeze.

Red Alert trembled slightly, as more electricity shot out between his red horns, and he bit his lip. What would happen if Inferno went? Would he come back? What if something happened, and he wouldn't be able to come back?

_Inferno has done this before…,_ a voice said in the back of his helm, _do not hold him back, or you might regret it later…._

The electricity stopped, as Red Alert took in a deep intake through his nose plates, and sighed it out to calm his nerves. Of course Inferno needed to go, he was a fire fighter and mechs and femmes needed him on the job to save them. He sucked in his anxiety, and tried not to let it show.

"Okay. I think I'll be all right," Red said softly, "Just…..come back as soon as you can, please?"

Inferno smiled at the young mech he was taking care of. Though he couldn't help but be worried.

"I'll be back soon Red, but if I seem ta take a while, there are some data pads on mah desk in the study just through that door," he pointed at a dark blue door, "if ya want ta read any or play a game on 'em," he gave Red Alert a reassuring smile.

The smaller mech smiled back, while his spark inside him flutter in slight excitement. He remembered playing on data pads. Moonracer sometimes was able to sneak a few down, when she played with him. Sometimes, she'd show him ones with strange distorted pictures, that he would need to pull apart and then put back together. Over the years, he had grown to become quite good at it. And as they progressed, the femme would start bringing him parts and things to put together. He loved doing that, but it always hurt him when Moonracer had to take the things he created away. But he knew why at least. Her father, Ringleader, had caught Red Alert a few times with the parts he put together, and he gotten angry.

He had beaten poor Red, and then tore his small achievements to bits right in front of them. Poor thing cried do hard, that his glitch seemed to go supernova a few times.

After that, Moonracer tried to make sure he wasn't caught again, so whether or not he finished it, she took it away, and kept it with her, until they could play again.

He had been working on a small model, before he was rescued by Inferno.

Speaking of which…

Inferno patted Red Alert on the helm, smiling, before he turned and went for the door. Red Alert watched, as Inferno turned and bid him goodbye, telling him that he would be back as soon as he could, and with that, the door closed securely.

* * *

Inferno transformed and drove off to the coordinates Firestar had sent him. He zoomed off, his sirens on, so other bots moved out of his way, as his tires screeched against the road.

He followed billowing smoke, that slowly clouded the morning's light, the sky white, and the lightest shade of blue. The smoke puffed, and the darker half seemed to ripple through the air from the heat of the unseen fire.

He made a sharp turn, cutting off a femme, who screeched to a stop, before cursing him.

"Sorry! Sorry!" he yelled out to her, as he moved.

As he grew closer, he could smell the mix of melted iron metal, and the mixed, carbon scent that he always sensed when he was getting closer to the fire. He began to hear other sirens, and far off shouts, mechs barking orders, the sound of speeding feet against the hard, metal ground and then the jetting, wet sound of coolant being sprayed into the crackling colors of yellow, orange and red.

Red…..

The fire truck felt worry fill him, as he thought about the young mech, he was taking care of at the moment. How was the mech? Was it a good idea to leave him on his own?

His spark clenched slightly, before he spotted the building up in flames, a raging blaze, as phoenix rising and preparing to engorge the building.

Inferno pulled up and his tires let out a slight squeak, as he came up beside an orange, red and white femme, with yellow face plates, and orange lips. She turned to him, as she was squatting beside a femme, who was burnt badly, and under the care of a field medic.

"Well, it's about time!" she shouted over the roar of flames.

"Inferno, hurry up and get in there! We still have five or six more mechs and femmes in the building!" a mech shouted, pointing a water blaster attached to his arm, at the conflagration that angrily puffed the black smoke, and spouted out sparks.

The red mech immediately pushed all thoughts of Red, in order to focus on his work. He had to get those mechs and femmes out of the building, before it collapsed.

* * *

Red walked into the study, opening the door carefully, like it would break off his hinges, if he pushed on it too hard. He looked around the study, his optics wide in slight aw.

He had never been in a place like this before.

The walls were a dark, mahogany red, and had small pieces of art up on them, framed in ebony around paintings and drawings of mechs, or objects. There was a white wash desk, and like Inferno said, there were the data pads.

A small tingle of curiosity rode up Red Alert's spine, as he entered the room. He tilted his helm, and then cautiously went to the desk, moving his pedes slowly, like he was afraid the smallest sound by set something off. The young mech stopped before the white surface, and gazed down at the different types of data pads.

Some had words, others had small pictures. He gently picked up one at a time, and slowly skimmed over them, his optics narrowed, as he tried to see which ones had anything of interest. He hummed, as he activated a black one, with a slight gold emblem on the top. He pressed a few buttons on it.

Words appeared, under bold letter words that said "DIRECTIONS" on it.

* * *

Inferno blasted water from his small hand gun at the holocaust before him. He yelled, and jumped out of the way of burned and melted rubble falling.

He heard screams of fear and pain from deep inside. He ran forwards, blasting the flames in white water, trying to push them back. He yelled, as he ran forwards, his optics narrowed in determination, as he rammed himself through one of the walls.

There was screeches of surprise.

He snapped his helm up and then blinked. Three mechs stood there, one an elder, two full grown and in one of the adult's arm, was a little sparkling femme. Inferno panted, even as the steaming smoke filled his vents slightly. He put his hand out to show the small group he meant no harm,

"Easy now, I'm part of the Fire an' Rescue team," he said, to try and reassure the mechs.

The femme coughed harshly, and was crying slightly, as she curled into one of the mechs. Said mech immediately caressed her helm.

"Now, I want ya all ta follow me. I'm gonna get ya'll out of here!" he yelled to them over the crackling blaze they were in.

The three mechs did not hesitate. The smaller mech, holding the femme, moved forwards first, his entire body shaking, as he took Inferno's outstretched arm to support himself on. He kissed the little femme's helm, and tried to hush her.

The next mech help the elder, by placing his arm on his shoulder. He moved towards Inferno, as he and the old mech coughed and limped, as he tried to follow.

"C'mon…..c'mon Papa…." The mech said to the elder, panting slightly, as smoke began to fill his vents.

Inferno led the small group through the flames, staying in front of them, trying to lead them through the flames lashing out at them, and around in a frenzy, trying to pull them into its burning depths and devour them all.

The mech with femme sparkling, gave a hacking cough, his antennae twitching slightly. He looked scared and lost, miserable.

Inferno stared at the young mech, as his thoughts suddenly went to Red Alert, the expression of the mech before him matched Red's the moment he had seen him in the horrible place, people called a circus. He felt worry, along with his usual determination fill him. Was his friend okay? Was he calm and safe back at the apartment? Or was he freaking out and scared out of his wits?

He could imagine his horns, alight in blue, and his head came up with an image of him curled up and crying for him. Inferno shook his head, and began moving forwards with the mechs behind him. But, as he moved his thoughts could not stop going to Red Alert.

* * *

The data-pad he had picked up, turned out to be a good choice, as he looked through his optics wide with glee, and his antennae sparked gently, sending the smallest tickling sensation down his body.

The data pad was filled with puzzles!

Different kinds of images he could choose from, and they all would appear in a holographic projector, in a three dimensional way. He began choosing pieces, and trying to match them with the figure before him. It was a picture of a femme and a mech holding hands.

So far, he has only gotten the upper torsos, and parts of the legs, and half of the mech and femme's helms, only getting their face plates. He had an energon cube placed beside him, so he wouldn't get hungry, as he worked on this one. He's already put together three other images, one of a cyber-cat, another of Iacon at sunset, and then another of what looked like crystal garden. He pressed his finger to another one of the puzzle pieces, what looked like an antennae. He led it over to the femme's half constructed helm.

Didn't fit.

He put it back, before taking another piece. It was a blue helm. He placed the antennae on there, and it fit one side of it. He smiled, before began piecing it together, looking over the blue pieces, and then placing them where he believed they belonged.

He didn't know how long he sat in the study, surrounded by the secure, thick walls. He really didn't care, he was happy.

Red smiled, as he looked at the helm. He then moved it over to the top of the mech's torso. He stopped though, and looked at the expressions on the mech and femme's. They were looking at each other, all large smiles, and their optics seemed to only be on each other. Like they were looking at the greatest thing in the universe. He gave them a studious look.

He's never seen anyone with that expression before. Then again, he's never had a lot of contact with the outside world anyway. What was the expression? What did it mean?

He let out a slight growl when his glitch acted up. It sent agitation that went down to his arms and shoulders, making him tense slightly. He was thinking too much again, wasn't he?

* * *

"Is that everyone? Is there anyone else inside the buildin'? Any missin' people?" Inferno looked at the crowd of survivors he and the others had gotten out.

The small family group he had gotten out, was with a femme medic, being looked over. The sparkling was still coughing and crying, as the young mech, who was having his shoulder looked over, since it looked singed, held on to her like he was afraid he'd lose her if he did.

The old mech had a twist heel strut, and was having it attended to immediately. The mech who had helped him move, sat beside him, and was making sure he was comfortable. He was the only one unharmed, only covered in the smoke's dust.

"That's everyone, 'Ferno," Firestar answered, as she held a little femme in her arms.

Poor little thing was shaking like a turbo-fox pup.

Suddenly, the building before them was engulfed completely in a raging inferno of red. Everyone watched how it caused the building to slowly, but surely collapse, and slowly melt and give way into the fire's many greedy hands.

The young mech with his sparkling, stared with wide optics, gasping. His jaw seem to have become unhinged, and he was shaking hard, holding his little femme. He watched his home as it was burnt to the ground.

He slowly stood up and limped towards it, ignoring the protest of the medic. Inferno watched, as the young mech fell to his knees before his home and stared at it. Oily tears slide down his face plates, and he started to cry softly, holding his little femme closer.

The fire truck had seen this many times, and looked on with a sad look, sympathetic look.

* * *

When Red Alert heard the door slam open, he jumped causing him to misplace a heel-strut he meant to put on the mech's leg.

His antennae became alight with blue.

"Red? Ya there, buddy?" Inferno's voice spoke through.

Red Alert stood up, and exited the room, all thoughts of finishing the puzzle vanishing. He smiled when he saw Inferno standing there. But, as he took a few steps forward, he saw him covered in soot, from helm to toe.

"….what happened…?"

"Aw, it was nothin', just a buildin' was burned up, is all," Inferno said, smiling. His relief at seeing the young mech okay filled him, and it helped him ignore the ache running through him.

He reached out slowly, and patted the young mech's helm.

"I'm fine Red, really," Inferno said.

Red Alert gave a small smile, and ignored the black dust that stained over his red helm. He smiled and giggled.

Inferno liked that smile on the young mech's face, so different from the terrified look he had when being carted out like an animal.

He was making some progress, and for that, Inferno was happy.

* * *

Review please.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX! YAAAAAAY!

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers. Period.

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**Freak No Longer – Chapter 6: Noisy Neighbors**

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Red Alert was deep in recharge, blue optics off-lined, his entire face lax, and his lips slightly parted, as he slept.

Inferno leaned against the wall, with a sigh. Red had finally gone into peaceful recharge. Despite the first two nights he slept without a problem, the memories seemed to just pop up out of nowhere. Poor thing seemed to have terrible nightmares.

He had been woken up to Red Alert crying his optics out three times tonight. He had spent most of it staying beside the younger mech as his horns had started sparking slightly in his distress and he had been sobbing harshly and verbally begging to be let go, like he was being tormented and harmed. When he had reached to hug and comfort the mech in pain though, he noticed that the young mech would back away from him and look at him with surprised and scared optics.

The older mech had almost forgotten that Red was not used to having a lot of mechs show concern and rarely got that sort of physical contact. He backed off a little, only rubbing his back reassuringly, until he fell into recharge.

The younger mech twitched slightly, before turning over in the comfortable berth, mumbling softly.

Inferno gave a small smile at the sight. It was almost like the young mech hadn't just had a breakdown from all those terrible dreams of the past.

Flicking the light off in Red Alert's room, he went back to his own quarters.

What Inferno woke up to next was the sound of something loud and nearly shaking the walls of his quarters. He fell off his berth from the force of the soundwaves from the wall with a grunt. Sitting up he stared at the wall with wide optics as a pulse continued from next door before he recognized the muffled, but still familiar Polyhexian song.

_Oh Primus, Jazz, not this mornin'…_ Inferno silently prayed.

His neighbor Jazz, was an enforcer from Polyhex that transferred to work here in Iacon. He was a cheerful, outgoing mech and a good friend to many of the residents in this establishment. His only problem with having him as a neighbor is that when Jazz was awake in the morning, he liked to put on very loud music and wake up half of Iacon in the process.

As a matter of fact, his loud music playing had been put on restriction for a full deca-cycle since it was a public nuisance.

Checking the calendar, Inferno groaned when he saw that the restriction had expired today.

The fire fighter groaned, bonking his helm on the floor, before checking his chronometer.

It was early in the solar-cycle. Too early for him to be up just yet in his opinion. The firefighter got up with a groan and then forced his half awakened body to stand up and leave the room.

He didn't, however make it to the door that lead into his quarters.

Inferno was stopped by a high pitched screech that woke him right up and made him run back toward Red Alert's room. It chilled him down to his circuits before he snapped around on his pedes and ran back deep into his quarters to the mech he was currently taking care of, the music completely forgotten for the moment.

When he arrived, Red Alert was rocking back and forth on his berth with his helm in his servos. He was hyperventilating as the room was vibrating around him from the force of the music while his horns sparked hard on his helm, the hardest Inferno had seen them spark since he had met the mech. He had tears streaming down his optics as he tried to make sense of what was making the room shake.

The fire truck-former, worried and panicked by the sight, immediately went over to the young mech.

"Red! Red look at meh!" he had to shout over the loud music.

"Make it stop! Inferno please, MAKE IT STOP!" Red Alert was sobbing hard as the shaking room made him feel like he was in the cage that would be moved out when it was show time…when he….Red Alert whimpered as his digits clawed at his helm as he remember the jeers, insults and utter cruelty he had been subjected to.

Inferno grabbed the young mech's servos in order to stop him from hurting himself.

"Easy, easy now!" he felt the smaller red and white mech shaking in his grip and still taking fast and harsh intakes, "Red, c'mon, look at meh! Ya're safe, Red!"

Red Alert sobbed harder and harder as he tried to tune everything out. The tips of his horns only seemed to go brighter as he fearfully tried to break free of Inferno's grasp. He was frightened and anxious, believing he was back in his little dark cage that was being dragged out to let him be shone to the large and noisy crowds of the circus.

Taking in a deep intake to calm himself down and think as logically as he could, Inferno reached up and with a gingerly firmness, held the young mech's face plates and slowly turned them so that those wide, scared optics could see him clearly.

Inferno barely kept himself from wincing as the music continued to blast through the thin walls. He gently rubbed the side of Red's helm.

"Ya all right Red…it's goin' ta be all right…." He caressed the side of the bright red helm making sure Red Alert wouldn't attempt to look away from his optics.

"B-but..! The shaking, Inferno the shaking….!" Red grabbed the large mech's shoulders in a near denting grip and he was whimpering as more tears slide down his pearly white face plates.

He hushed the younger mech, holding him as close as possible to his body, "It's alright Red. Ya're safe here with meh now. Ah promise…" he remained there for a few more clicks, as the sparks began to dim until they no longer lit up. Red Alert's intakes began to calm and even out as the strong, protective arms of Inferno held him close and allowed the younger mech to listen to the beating of the kind spark beneath the glass.

When the younger mech looked up again his optics were dried of the tears that now stained the porcelain plating of his young face. He was shaking against him and whimpered softly when the music was still continuing to blast.

Inferno's jaw tightened as he tried to keep himself from growling out of concern that he would scare the young mech into another relapse.

"Red. Ah'm gonna go for a shot moment ta speak with mah friend next door. Ah promise ta come back and…."

Red Alert stiffened, once again his horns giving a small glimmer that alerted the rescue vehicle that he needed to be a bit more thorough.

"Red. If ya want meh ta stop the music, ya gonna have to let meh go out fer a moment and speak wit the mech next door. Okay?" He caressed the side of the young mech's helm again to try and calm him again before he would even think of leaving him alone.

He stayed there, one servo rubbing Red's helm gently, while his other one made soothing circles on his back. After a moment, Red Alert looked back up at Inferno with wide cyan optics.

"….p-promise?"

Relaxing while giving a gentle and kind smile, Inferno cupped the smooth face plates, "Ah promise Red, Ah'll be back before ya even realize…."

With a small sniffle, Red Alert nodded in understanding, but he curled up when the music grew even louder from next door.

Jazz didn't hear it at first. He was swaying his hip to the beat of his favorite mix of Polyhexian soul tunes. His friend Blaster had made it for him on his creation day when he was younger and every time he listened to it, he felt like it was his date of creation once again.

He was listening to it to celebrate the last day he would be restricted from listening to his music. The past few weeks had been torture on him as he was forced to wake up to the grey silence of earliness without anyway to help him through it since he was banned from playing music until now of course. He sighed and smiled as he moved to pick up his badge.

But then he heard it, the clanging noise of someone banging on his door. Immediately, he paused the song to make sure he was hearing it correctly before he went to answer it.

He hoped it wasn't the landlord. The last time he had fragged him off, it had ended up with his restriction of music.

When his door slid back he jumped back slightly when he came face to face with the stormy features of his neighbor old friend Inferno.

"Hey dere 'Ferno, whaddup?" he grinned in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

He realized had failed in doing so when Inferno, a normally good natured and understanding mech, looked like he was going to sock him in the face plates.

"Jazz, how many times do Ah have to tell ya that I hate it when ya play yer music too loud?" Inferno growled.

"Now Ferno, ya know my restriction is over now and Ah'm just celebrating a lil' bit!" Jazz replied, with a slightly apologetic and helpless look.

The fire truck's glare immediately caused his expression to change to one of fear.

"Jazz. Right now, I have a mech stayin' wit meh…"

Jazz perked up at the announcement, "Well, if Ah had known dat, I woulda played some Vosian love songs for yeh ta set de mood, heh-heh…"

Inferno narrowed his optics, "Not fer those reasons Jazz," he took in a deep intake. How should he go about this? Should he tell Jazz about Red and how he had gotten to be here? Should he just keep it subtle so Jazz got the message, but it didn't reveal anything until Red was more comfortable?

He looked at Jazz. Jazz, though he meant well, had a nasty habit of drinking high grade after he was working. And when he drank, he gossiped worse than a preppy femme at the academy.

Subtle it was then.

"The mech stayin' wit meh, ya see….Ah rescued him from an abusive lifestyle with someone who should have taken care of 'im," the grin on the enforcer's face plates immediately was wiped off at the word "abusive", "Ah'm tryin' to help him out and he's been havin' a tough time adaptin'. And yer music kinda….well…."

If it were possible Jazz went paler than his original armor plating.

"Aw mech, Ah'm sorry. Ah didn't know," he placed a hand on Inferno's shoulder, "Why didn't ja tell meh sooner?"

Relieved Inferno gave a small smile, "Ah was helpin' him settle in ta my apartment and forgot you liked ta play loud music in the mornin'…"

"Hey, no worries mech," Jazz patted Inferno on the shoulder as a show of goodwill.

Jazz felt slight guilt in his spark at the current situation he had been just informed of. As an enforcer, he has had to help abused mechs and femmes get out of their dangerous lifestyle with their abuser or abusers. To think the music he loved might have hurt the poor mech next door to Inferno.

The enforcer felt a bit of disappointment that he would have to be careful again about playing his music, but he would have to deal with it until he either sound proofed his walls or got a head set that would let him dance around to his spark's content.

Inferno returned Jazz's gesture, giving his shoulder a slight squeeze, "Good. Now, if you'll excuse meh, Ah gotta be headin' back to make sure he's okay."

"Ah-right, see ya 'round Ferno…"

"See ya round."

Jazz waved as Inferno left before he closed the door. He turned off his speakers with the music before he began to do a search on one of his data-pads for a good, workable sound proofing system to install. He really didn't want to cause the mech staying with Inferno any trouble if the music caused him to go into a relapse or freak out. He's seen enough of that at work and in some case, the victims went into a state of catatonia or worse killed themselves due to severe self-injury.

His musical noise wasn't worth the harm of an innocent mech.

* * *

GYAAAGH! I'm sorry for the very, very VERY long wait and if this appears rushed, again I am sorry! Ugh, I got side tracked and i need ideas to help me for the next chapter. Could you help me please? Review please.


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